Has there really been a resurgence in bedbugs in the U.S. and how do you know?

There has been an increase in bedbug infestations. In fact, a
2013 NPMA survey of pest professionals found that 99.6
percent of respondents have encountered a bed bug infestation in
the past year. Prior to 2000, only 25 percent of respondents had
encountered a bed bug infestation. In addition,
one in five Americans now report they have had a bedbug
infestation or know someone who has encountered bed bugs at home or
in a hotel, according to a 2011 NPMA survey.

These pests are not limited to any one specific type of
dwelling. Pest control companies
have been reporting the infestations everywhere including
single family homes, multi-family housing, apartments, hotels,
hospitals, schools and college campuses, office buildings, retail
stores, movie theaters and even public transportation. Nowadays,
even five-star hotels and high-end clothing stores are susceptible
to infestation.

Pest control companies have reported bed bug activity on a
national scale. Bedbugs are being found from the East to the West
Coast and everywhere in between. Specifically, the pests were
encountered by 17 percent of
Bed Bugs in America survey respondents in the Northeast; 20
percent in the Midwest; 20 percent in the South; and 19 percent in
the West.

Bedbugs should not be equated with filth or sanitation problems
-- in hotels or in homes, for that matter. Bedbugs are very
elusive, transient pests. They are often found in other areas
besides the bed. And they are hardy. They can live for several
months without eating and can withstand a wide range of
temperatures from nearly freezing to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bedbugs can be controlled with vigilance, constant inspection and
treatment by professional pest control companies.

What can a consumer do to protect themselves from bedbug infestations?

To prevent bedbug infestations, consumers need to be
vigilant in assessing their surroundings. When returning from
a trip, check your luggage and clothing. If you think you may have
a bed bug infestation, contact a pest control professional. This is
not a pest that can be controlled with do-it-yourself measures.

Bedbugs leave itchy, bloody welts on human skin. Adult bed bugs
can live for several months without eating, making them especially
hard to control. Once inside a hotel or home, bed bugs spread
rapidly from room to room - through pipes, in vacuum cleaners, on
clothing and luggage. In a hotel, bed bugs can even spread to
neighboring rooms, since guests are may end up moving to another
room.

Bedbugs are not just in beds. They can be in chair cushions,
sofas, behind electrical outlets, cracks and crevices around
baseboards, or even behind picture frames. In other words, they can
be live pretty much anywhere.

Any effective bedbug control strategy should start with a
careful, thorough inspection by a pest control professional of all
known and suspected spots where the bugs may be harboring. This is
not a pest that can be controlled effectively with do-it-yourself
measures. As they are discovered, the pest control professional
will develop a treatment and control strategy with the customer
depending on the extent of the infestation.